Improving BLI F unit pickups/Wire gauge?

[Cajonpassfan]

Yea John, I thought that too, if life were only that simple, but as Pete says, the frame is insulated from everything and power is routed from pickups directly to the decoder with very little space to work with. And that rats' nest makes me nervous. I need to take it apart and see where that takes me, but not tonight...I'd rather do some actual modeling instead😜
Thanks guys,
Otto

[jdcolombo]

Ah.  I get it.  Well, then Pete's solution is what I'd try.

John

[MK]

You can get some SMD polymeric fuses so you don't have to change them when they "blow".  But I don't know if they have small values that we can utiliize in N scale.

[C855B]

You can get some SMD polymeric fuses so you don't have to change them when they "blow".  But I don't know if they have small values that we can utiliize in N scale.

Oh, yes. PPTC resettable fuses. All sorts of small values, very inexpensive. Here's one that would work: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bel-Fuse/0ZCG0030FF2C?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsgjL4JkW1EEcd%252bb5fzYQwT0UnKdHQ7502HCLB2Oc8JmA%3d%3d

[MK]

Oh, yes. PPTC resettable fuses. All sorts of small values, very inexpensive. Here's one that would work: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bel-Fuse/0ZCG0030FF2C?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsgjL4JkW1EEcd%252bb5fzYQwT0UnKdHQ7502HCLB2Oc8JmA%3d%3d

Ah!  300mA hold and 600 mA trip would do it for N scale.

[peteski]

I have seen these devices (or similar) used on several models - sometimes in the motor circuit.

These have  Resistance:1.75 Ohms , so (especially if couple are in line with the rest of the circuitry) will drop some voltage across them.
Datasheet: https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/643/0ZCG_Nov2016-1132141.pdf
These are thermal devices, and have to heat up to 130 deg. C (which is around 240 deg. F) to "open".  That will soften styrene. So if you do use them, keep them away from any plastic parts.